Page 101 of The Wedding Game

‘I wonder what would have happened if you’d read this when Josh sent it all those months ago. What might you have done?’

‘It’s not worth thinking about, because I only know what my reaction is now and … anything I felt for him has gone.’

She looks a mix of surprised and impressed. ‘I really wantto know what happened between him and Tamara, though, don’t you? I need the gossip on that.’

‘It’s one of those things we’re probably never going to know. Because I’m not going to do anything about this.’

‘Good for you. Shall we set light to it?’

‘No, I don’t trust that smoke alarm not to go off.’ I look up at the blinking light, which has been going at a rate of knots this week.

‘Throw it in the bin?’

‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘I’m just going to give it one more read though, you know, to make myself feel good.’

‘And smug?’ Scarlet suggests.

‘Very smug,’ I reply. ‘And then we throw it in the bin.’

‘You know what this means, don’t you?’ Scarlet continues, as we stand ritualistically over the bin moments later and look at Josh’s letter as it soaks into the wet kitchen roll I threw in earlier. ‘You’re the heroine again,’ she says, in revelatory fashion.

I frown. ‘What?’

‘Tamara’s the evil crone who just got defeated. Andyouare the princess. You are the heroine.’

I stand a little taller, unpicking her words and resisting the urge to laugh. ‘I forgot I said that. Did I sound like an idiot?’

‘Yes, you did, but it was a memorable speech all the same.’

‘I’m the heroine again,’ I muse.

‘Yes, you are,’ Scarlet agrees enthusiastically. ‘Yes, you bloody well are.’

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Chris

March

The wedding invitations are in. I’m sitting at the dining table in my parents’ kitchen and hold one in my hand, running my fingers over the calligraphy letters. My parents and Victoria’s parentsinvite you to the wedding of …

They’re jointly on the invitation as they’re very generously jointly contributing. Victoria is talking about the swirly font and I’m trying hard to be interested, but fonts and typefaces, or whatever they’re called, are not my bag.

I still can’t get my head around the fact this is happening. I am really happy, even though everything seems to be moving so fast. When Victoria wants something, she goes all out to get it.

‘Are these invites more expensive than the dress?’ I ask.

‘Nothing is more expensive than the dress,’ she replies conspiratorially.

‘I can’t wait to see it,’ I say.

‘You’re not allowed,’ she tells me. ‘No one is. Oh, whileI think of it, are there any other people you’d like to put on the guest list – anyone you want to invite? Speak now or for ever hold your peace!’ she jokes.

My immediate thought is no. And then my mind goes somewhere it shouldn’t. How odd would it be if I invited Lexie?

I haven’t seen her in a year. I didn’t know that time I said goodbye to her at the hotel opening would be our last goodbye. But I can’t imagine standing at the front of the church and seeing Lexie there. I don’t know what that would do to me. I’m not sure being in contact with her is wise anyway, especially since she moved in with Josh. By now they’re probably getting ready to make babies and live happily ever after in his ancestral home, or whatever it is they’re doing. I wonder if she’ll invite me to her wedding when it happens? Probably not. And that’s wise too. I’m glad I cooled down our friendship. It would only lead to danger. I knew it then and I feel it now.

‘No. I’m OK.’

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